This invention relates to a connector for connecting a sheet-like object such as a flexible flat cable (FFC) and a flexible printed circuit (FPC).
A conventional connector of the type is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications (JP-A) Nos. H09-35828 and H09-92411. The conventional connector comprises a plurality of contacts each of which has a contacting portion to be faced to one surface of a sheet-like object such as a FFC or a FPC and a supporting portion to be faced to the other surface of the sheet-like object which is opposite to the one surface, a housing holding the contacts, and an actuator for bringing the sheet-like object into press contact with the contacting portions of the contacts. The actuator has a cam portion inserted into the housing from its front side and rotatably coupled thereto.
In order to connect the sheet-like object, the sheet-like object is at first inserted into the connector from the front side thereof to an area between the contacting portions of the contacts and the cam portion of the actuator. Then, the actuator is rotated so that the cam portion of the actuator brings the sheet-like object into press contact with the contacting portions of the contacts. Thus, the sheet-like object is connected to the connector by such a simple operation. The connector of the type described will hereinafter called a rotary-actuation connector.
In the conventional rotary-actuation connector mentioned above, the actuator is coupled to the housing simply by engagement between both ends of the actuator and the housing. With this structure, the actuator is often released or disengaged from the housing. For example, if the sheet-like object is subjected to pull force while it is brought into contact with the contacting portions of the contacts, the cam portion of the actuator is also pulled due to friction between the sheet-like object and the cam portion. In this event, the actuator will undesiredly be released from the housing.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a rotary-actuation connector which is capable of suppressing the risk of disengagement of an actuator even if a sheet-like object connected to the connector is subjected to pull force.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a rotary-actuation connector which is capable of preventing disengagement of an actuator with high reliability and without increasing the height of the connector.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a rotary-actuation connector in which an actuator is easily coupled and prevented from disengagement with high reliability.
Other objects of the present invention will become clear as the description proceeds.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector for use in connecting a sheet-like object. The connector comprises a contact having a contacting portion to be faced to one surface of the sheet-like object and a supporting portion to be faced to the other surface of the sheet-like object which is opposite to the one surface, a housing holding the contact, and an actuator for bringing the sheet-like object into press contact with the contacting portion. The actuator comprises a cam portion located between the supporting portion and the sheet-like object and a shaft portion integrally connected with the cam portion and rotatably engaged with the housing. The supporting portion has a recess which receives the cam portion to make the cam portion and the supporting portion be engaged with each other in a predetermined direction parallel to the sheet-like object and perpendicular to a center axis of the shaft portion.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector for use in connecting a sheet-like object. The connector comprises a first contact having a first contacting portion to be faced to one surface of the sheet-like object and a first supporting portion to be faced to the other surface of the sheet-like object which is opposite to the one surface, a second contact having a second contacting portion to be faced to the one surface of a sheet-like object and a second supporting portion to be faced to the other surface of the sheet-like object, a housing holding the first and the second contacts at a predetermined pitch, and an actuator for bringing the sheet-like object into press contact with the first and the second contacting portions. The actuator comprises a first cam portion located between the first supporting portion and the sheet-like object, a second cam portion located between the second supporting portion and the sheet-like object, and a shaft portion integrally connected with the first and the second cam portions and rotatably engaged with the housing. The first supporting portion has a recess which receives the first cam portion to make the first cam portion and the first supporting portion be engaged with each other in a predetermined direction parallel to the sheet-like object and perpendicular to a center axis of the shaft portion.